(left) Mitchell Young and Tucker Cipriano enter the courtroom before the start of a motion hearing in front of Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Shalina Kumar, Thursday June 6, 2013. The judge ruled on what photographic evidence will be allowed in the trial next Monday in which both defendants are accused in the beating death of Robert Cipriano April 16, 2012. (Oakland Press Photo:Vaughn Gurganian)

Despite their major differences in opinions, there are a few things that both sides in the Mitchell Young murder trial can agree on.

Young was at the Farmington Hills home of the Cipriano family in the early morning hours of April 16, 2012, and he was there to steal something. At some point, he hit the matriarch, Rose Cipriano, with a bat.

That much was evident Thursday afternoon, when Skrzynski and McCarthy gave their closing arguments in the case that has garnered widespread media attention during the past 14 months.

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Robert Cipriano died in the baseball bat attacks, and his wife, Rose, and son, Salvatore, were severely injured. Young is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery and two counts of assault with intent to murder.

The Ciprianos' adopted son, Tucker Cipriano, faced the same charges but pleaded no contest to felony murder and will spend the rest of his life in prison.

On Thursday, Skrzynski shared his version of the events of that night with the jury.

"There is no doubt, either reasonable or otherwise," he said.

Skrzynski spoke about DNA. Young could not be excluded as a donor of DNA to the handle of a baseball bat that is believed to be the murder weapon.

"There was no trace of Tucker Cipriano('s DNA) on that bat," he said.

He mentioned impact blood stains on Young's pants, indicating that Young was standing within inches of Robert Cipriano when he was struck.

"We know now, Mitchell Young caused the death of Robert Cipriano," Skrzynski said.

"He not only aided and abetted the death, he caused the death."

However, McCarthy attempted to poke holes in the argument, placing the blame entirely on Tucker Cipriano.

He mentioned the stellar students and athletes that Tucker Cipriano's brothers were. Tucker, who was adopted, struggled in an alternative school.

"(Tucker) is not the athlete his brothers are," McCarthy said.

He pointed out 11 sports team photographs that lined the wall above where the badly injured bodies of Rose and Salvatore Cipriano were found.

"Baseball players," McCarthy said.

"Athletes. Think there might have been some resentment there? Think there might have been some raqe built up? Things are going just great for Tucker's brothers. They're living in a house where they're celebrated."

At the time of the attacks, Tucker Cipriano had been kicked out of the home.

Meanwhile, McCarthy's client barely knew the Ciprianos.

"Mitchell Young doesn't know these people from Adam. He's got no ax to grind. He might be interested in some thievery, but being a thief ... is a far cry from committing one murder and assaulting two other people with the intent to murder. That's a huge leap."

McCarthy believes the mission -- which was the third trip to the Cipriano home that night -- was simply to steal money and belongings. He believes that changed when a barking dog awoke Robert Cipriano.

"Tucker Cipriano, he's the one with the bat," McCarthy said.

"When the lights get flipped on, he's the one that hits his dad. He's the one with the rage. Then what does he do? He hits Mitchell Young. He dislocates his jaw."

McCarthy said Young didn't hit anyone until Tucker Cipriano's 8-year-old sister, Isabella, brought a bat down in an effort to defend her family. He believes Cipriano tossed that bat to Young and ordered him to join in the assault.

McCarthy also said that the blood stains on Young's pants could have gotten there "while Tucker Cipriano was whaling away on his father's head."

Salvatore, who played baseball, was found on top of the baseball bats.

"It is not a coincidence that Salvatore, who's left by his brother to die ... is left on top of those two bats," McCarthy said.

McCarthy again spoke of rage.

"That's the reason all this gore, all this mayhem occurred in that home, because Tucker Cipriano was filled with rage," he said.

"What would cause one human being to do that to another? What would cause a son, adopted or not, to do that to his father? What would cause a son, adopted or not, to do that to Rose Cipriano? What would cause a brother to do that to another brother?"

He again said that Young had no idea what would be occurring at the home.

"All (Young) is in for is a little thievery," McCarthy said.

"Not any of these assaults.

"If I don't know you, how can I hate you?"

As the prosecutor, Skrzynski had the last word.

"Tucker Cipriano might be full of rage, but Mitchell Young is full of blood," he said.

"All of the evidence points to the fact that it was (Young) beating on Robert Cipriano."

Skrzynski said that it's possible that Young also had rage.

"Who knows what a rage (Young) has about what?" he said.

Young's dislocated jaw was not the result of being hit with a bat, but was the result of being hit with a fist, Skrzynski said.

Rose Cipriano had a "boxer's fracture" to her hand

"If you stick to the evidence and you stick to the elements, your job is not that hard," he told the jury.

"It's not that hard at all."

"He's got a dislocated jaw because Rose busted him one and broke her finger when she did it," he said.

Skrzynski also referenced Robert Cipriano's autopsy photos.

"You know now what a man looks like when he's hit in the face with a bat," he said.

"What did (Young) look like? Not even close."

Young declined to testify on his own behalf.

"My decision is I will exercise my right to remain silent," he told Oakland County Circuit Judge Shalina Kumar.

While photos from Robert Cipriano's autopsy were shown on a projector, Ortiz-Reyes described the injuries that led to his death.

Cipriano had several injuries to his head, including subdural hemorrhaging and contusions to his brain and fractures to his skull. He was also bleeding heavily and had aspirated blood in his lungs, meaning he basically drowned in his own blood, Ortiz-Reyes said.

Multiple blunt force trauma was the cause of death.

Farmington Hills Police Det. Michael Flatt also took the witness stand Thursday morning. He detailed text messages between Young, Tucker Cipriano and Samantha Chick, who testified earlier in this trial.

Chick -- who was listed as "Lol" in Cipriano's phone -- sent Cipriano a text asking if he and Young still planned on staying at her home in Keego Harbor on the night of April 15, 2012.

Cipriano said he was "partying." Later that night, after he and Young allegedly stole a debit card from his parents and used it to purchase Spice, Cipriano sent Chick another test.

"We got enough Spice to last us forever," he told her.

"Awesomesauceyness," was Chick's response, Flatt said.

Cipriano then told Chick that Ian Zinderman -- who testified earlier that he declined to participate in the attacks on the Cipriano family -- would have to stay at Chick's home "until we get back."

"Hide him," Cipriano texted.

That text came about 30 minutes before Tanner Cipriano called 911 about the attacks.

About 45 minutes after that 911 call, Cipriano texted Chick and said "Let me in side door."